144 I'l.OWl-.RS OI' 'rill''. COKNl'IJ'.I.DS 



The capsule- is a nian)-scetlc;d fruit, and s|)liis up iran.s\'crsely 1)\' 

 a circular lissi:rc round iItc middle when ripe, and the seeds fall out 

 around the parent plant. 



I'hc Scarlet I'inipernel is essentially a sand plant il;; rowing" on sand 

 soil, usualU' \\hci-c it is hrou^ht into use !))■ cultivation. 



The Lejjidoptera, Papilio ii/ac/iaoii (the Swall(j\v-tail liutterlly), 

 Zxoicmi pu)-pura/is, and Anyle Shades, Phloi^ophora iiicliculoia, are 

 die onl\' ones that arc' tountl on the |ilant. 



riir name Aiiaoallis., I )ioscorides, is of douhliul origin. The 

 secontl Latin name refers to its preference lor ara])le land. i'inipernel 

 is from the Latin bipiiiiiclla, applicil in the sixteenth t:(iUur_\ to plants 

 with hipinnate leaves. 



ihcrc art: many names for this plant, as ISird's I'")"e, ISird's-tonti^ue, 

 Shepherd's Clock, Lemale Pimpernel (the \ar. ctrr/i/cci). John-Ljo-to- 

 bed-at-noon, Male Pimpernel, Merecrop, Orange? Lily Pernel, Pim- 

 pernel, Poor Man's \Veather-g]a.ss, Shepherd's Calendar, Shepherd's 

 1 )elis4ht. Shepherd's Glass, Shepherd's Sundial, Shepherd's Warnini^-. 

 Shepherd's Watch, Sunflower, Tom Pimpernowl, Waywort, W'inco- 

 pi})e, Wink-a-peep, Weather-olass. 



The last name but one is given " from the habit the flower pos- 

 sesses of closing and winking in damp and opening or peeping again 

 in fine weather, and the same reason answers for Shepherd's Clock, 

 &c., and |ohn-go-to-bed-at-noon ". 



" Boys that mark them .shut .so soon. 

 Call John that goes to bed at noon." — Cl.^re. 



This common wild flower was said by the cretlulous to counteract 

 the evil designs of malevolent beings. The Scarlet Pimpernel was 

 once used as a cure for hydrophobia. The taste of the plant is acrid, 

 and it has been reported to have killetl birds feeding upon it. 'Lhe 

 name Aiiaoa//is has been derived from the Greek aiia<^c/ao, laugh, 

 because it was used for liver complaints and removed low spirits. 

 One writer says the flower opens at eight minutes past seven and 

 closes at three minutes past two. 



Ess1';ntial Specific Characters: — 



205. Aiiaoa//is ajt^cnsis, L. — Stem prostrate or ascending, leaves 

 ovate, dotted beneath, sessile, flowers scarlet, axillary, solitary, [)etal3 

 crenate, filaments free. 



